Information processing apparatus and control method thereof, and program

• US 7,934,164 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2007
• Issued: 04/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Fukuoka, Fumihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Bashore; William L
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHANTANA ANGKOOL, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US11/953,561
• Publication Number:
  US 20080141176A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,233 Days
• Field of Search: 715/764, 715/856
• US Class Current: 715/764
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

The number of folders to be displayed required to restrict and display folders on a lower hierarchy of a folder expanded by the folder opening and closing module is determined based on the number of folders included in the lower hierarchy to be expanded, and the height of the window. The folders included in the lower hierarchy are displayed to have the determined number of folders to be displayed.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus which performs display control of a plurality of folders using a hierarchical structure, comprising:

a folder opening unit for opening one of the plurality of folders included in the hierarchical structure displayed on a display screen;

a determining unit for determining the number of folders to be displayed on a lower hierarchy of the folder opened by said folder opening unit, based on the number of the currently displayed folders on the display screen, the number of folders included in the lower hierarchy of the folder opened by said folder opening unit, and a height of a window on which the plurality of folders are displayed; and

a hierarchical display unit for displaying the folders on the lower hierarchy in accordance with the number of folders to be displayed determined by said determining unit; and

a transition instruction unit for transitioning some of the folders on the lower hierarchy to a display state of currently non-displayed folders on the lower hierarchy, the transition instruction unit also being for displaying, within the displayed lower hierarchy, a previous list display button, a next list display button, or both,

wherein, in response to the previous display button or the next list display button being activated, the transition instruction unit is for transitioning at least some of the currently non- displayed folders in the lower hierarchy to a displayed state, and at least some of the displayed folders in the lower hierarchy to the non-displayed state,

wherein the previous list display button, if displayed, is displayed in a manner preceding all of the displayed folders in the lower hierarchy,

wherein the next list display button, if displayed, is displayed in a manner succeeding all of the displayed folders in the lower hierarchy, and

wherein said units are implemented at least in part by a processor of the information processing apparatus.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a number of folders display unit for displaying the number of currently non-displayed folders as part of the previous list display button or the next list display button.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said determining unit compares a total of the number of currently displayed folders and the number of folders included in the lower hierarchy of the folder opened by said folder opening unit with the height of the window to check if a display of the currently displayed folders and the folders included in the lower hierarchy of the folder opened by said folder opening unit falls within the window, and

when said determining unit decides that the display does not fall within the window, said determining unit determines to restrict the number of folders to be displayed on the lower hierarchy of the folder opened by said folder opening unit.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the number of folders calculated based on the number of currently displayed folders, the number of folders included in the lower hierarchy of the folder opened by said folder opening unit, and the height of the window is not more than the predetermined minimum number of folders, said determining unit determines the predetermined minimum number of folders as the number of folders to be displayed on the lower hierarchy of the folder opened by said folder opening unit.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising display switching unit for instructing to switch a hierarchy display state in which the number of folders to be displayed is restricted by said hierarchical display unit, and a normal display state in which the number of folders to be displayed is not restricted by said hierarchical display unit.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when a hierarchy different from the lower hierarchy, in which the number of folders to be displayed is restricted by said hierarchical display unit is opened, said determining unit changes the number of folders to be displayed on the restricted hierarchy to the predetermined minimum number of folders.

7. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein when an arbitrary folder in a folder on a hierarchy, which is displayed in the normal display state, is selected, said hierarchical display unit displays folders on the hierarchy to have the number of folders to be displayed determined by said determining unit.

8. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said number of folders display unit updates the number of non-displayed folders based on an operation for a hierarchy of folders currently displayed by said hierarchical display unit.

9. A method of controlling an information processing apparatus which performs display control of a plurality of folders using a hierarchical structure, said method comprising:

a folder opening step of opening one of the plurality of folders included in the hierarchical structure displayed on a display screen;

a determining step of determining the number of folders to be displayed on a lower hierarchy of the folder opened in said folder opening step, based on the number of the currently displayed folders on the display screen, the number of folders included in the lower hierarchy of the folder opened in the folder opening step, and a height of a window on which the plurality of folders are displayed;

a hierarchical display step of displaying the folders on the lower hierarchy in accordance with the number of folders to be displayed determined in the determining step; and

a transition instruction step of transitioning some of the folders on the lower hierarchy to a display state of currently non-displayed folders on the lower hierarchy, the transition instruction step also displaying, within the displayed lower hierarchy, a previous list display button, a next list display button, or both,

wherein, in response to the previous display button or the next list display button being activated, the transition instruction step transitions at least some of the currently non-displayed folders in the lower hierarchy to a displayed state, and at least some of the displayed folders in the lower hierarchy to the non-displayed state,

wherein the previous list display button, if displayed, is displayed in a manner preceding all of the displayed folders in the lower hierarchy, and

wherein the next list display button, if displayed, is displayed in a manner succeeding all of the displayed folders in the lower hierarchy.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program executed by a computer to control an information processing apparatus which performs display control of a plurality of folders using a hierarchical structure, said program comprising instructions for:

a folder opening step of opening one of the plurality of folders included in the hierarchical structure displayed on a display screen;

a determining step of determining the number of folders to be displayed on a lower hierarchy of the folder opened in said folder opening step, based on the number of the currently displayed folders on the display screen, the number of folders included in the lower hierarchy of the folder opened in the folder opening step, and a height of a window on which the plurality of folders are displayed;

a hierarchical display step of displaying the folders on the lower hierarchy in accordance with the number of folders to be displayed determined in the determining step; and

a transition instruction step of transitioning some of the folders on the lower hierarchy to a display state of currently non-displayed folders on the lower hierarchy, the transition instruction step also displaying, within the displayed lower hierarchy, a previous list display button, a next list display button, or both,

wherein, in response to the previous display button or the next list display button being activated, the transition instruction step transitions at least some of the currently non-displayed folders in the lower hierarchy to a displayed state, and at least some of the displayed folders in the lower hierarchy to the non-displayed state,

wherein the previous list display button, if displayed, is displayed in a manner preceding all of the displayed folders in the lower hierarchy, and

wherein the next list display button, if displayed, is displayed in a manner succeeding all of the displayed folders in the lower hierarchy.